Tuesday's Champions League Tips: Back wins for North London duo & get 12/5 on Dortmund hotshot | OneFootball

UEFA Champions League

Paul Higham has best bets for every game in Tuesday's Champions League group stage

Paul Higham has his best bets for all of Tuesday's opening Champions League group games, where he's backing wins for Arsenal and Tottenham and Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy in a 12/5 shots special...

Athletic Bilbao v Arsenal

17:45 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 1

A first ever trip to Bilbao for Arsenal should hold no fear for Mikel Arteta and his Spanish contingent who'll be familiar with surroundings - and they'll arrive in good form and as 20/23 match favourites.

The Gunners have won five on the spin in Spain and four of their past five Champions League away games, but 7/2 shots Bilbao won six of seven in Europe last season and are usually pretty strong at San Mames - despite losing at home to Alaves at the weekend.

I can't see too many goals here as Arteta will play his usual cautious approach and Bilbao aren't usually that gung-ho, so Arsenal & under 2.5 goals at 3/1 offers most interest as the Gunners are just too strong.

PSV v Union St Gilloise

17:45 kick-offLive on TNT Sports 2 & Discovery+

PSV have won five of six this season so the Dutch champions are 4/5 favourites against their Belgian counterparts, who are making their Champions League group stage debut - but did win both of their European away trips to the Netherland last season. So the short trip won't fear the 7/2 outsiders.

The hosts finished above PSG in the group phase last year so their pedigree is clear, the quandry is over goals with Union missing their suspended joint top scorer. But 10 of PSV's past 12 Champions League home games have seen goals at both ends and this is a good price to go the same way.

Benfica v Qarabag

20:00 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 3

The biggest favourites of the night, Benfica are 1/5 against Azerbaijan outfit Qarabag making their second appearance at this stage on the back of losing seven of their eight games in the Europa League last season - conceding two goals or more in six of those losses.

There's not too much by the way of value here with Benfica so short, but they kept clean sheets in all four legs of their qualifiers against Nice and Fenerbahce, so getting almost even money on another may be as good as it gets.

Juventus v Dortmund

20:00 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 2

Juve went 2-2 at home in the group stage last year, including a home defeat to Stuttgart, and they're 1/1 to beat German opposition last year and will be on a high after winning a 4-3 thriller against Inter Milan at the weekend.

Dortmund are always dangerous and 14/5 looks a big price if they can draw Juve into a shootout, with seven of Dortmund's eight league phase games last year contianing over 2.5 goals.

For a best bet here though I'm looking at Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy for 2+ shots on target. He's been ultra consistent and scored in seven of eight for club and country, with multiple shots on target in six of those and with Juve being slightly open of late he's the mani to take advantage.

Real Madrid v Marseille

20:00 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 1

Real have won all four previous meetings and scored at least twice each time. Marseille have struggled on the road this season and have a dreadful away record in the Champions League with just one win in 11. So 1/3 and the home win looks about right.

Real averaged 2.5 goals a game in last season's league phase but 11 home games in a row have seen both teams score, hence why it's 4/11 for over 2.5 goals here and 8/13 for both teams to find the net.

Xabi Alonso's side could well blow the French outfit away here.

Tottenham v Villarreal

20:00 kick-offLive on Amazon Prime

Thomas Frank almost won the Super Cup with Spurs so he'll fancy making a winning debut in the Champions League group phase, and given the atmosphere expected at home then they're rightly 5/6 favourites.

Villarreal boss Marcelino is wiley campaigner but the Yellow Submarine haven't beaten an English side in 14 Champions League games and have failed to score in their last seven away defeats - so clearly they'll be looking to stifle Spurs.

All three of Spurs' wins under Frank this season have come with a clean sheet, and with Villarreal not likely to be super aggressive this could easily be a fourth.

Recommended bets